Butternut Squash Soup

This one I discovered while making Rachael Ray's Butternut Squash Mac and cheese. The butternut was the base instead of the white sauce, sounds weird but it's so good. When I tasted the butternut base I just about fell over! Totally worthy of its own meal. It's the perfect thing on a cold, rainy autumn day.

1 butternut peeled, and cubed

1 Tbs olive oil

2 Tbs butter

1 Tbs dried Thyme (2 Tbs fresh chopped)

1/2 medium onion

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup cream or half and half

salt to taste

Boil the squash in a large pot, salt the water well. Heat the oil and butter in a small skillet and grate onion directly into the pan, let simmer until onion gets soft. When squash is tender drain and mash with a masher, I always keep a little cooking liquid in to make it a little smoother. Add onion and oil mixture, broth, thyme, and cream, check the seasonings, add more salt if needed. Let simmer until ready to eat. Top with parmesan or cheddar cheese. 

Shortbread Chocolate Chip Cookies

I debated on wether or not to post this cause seriously these cookies are out of this world delicious! I love how they are buttery (oh so buttery) and the texture is so different than a traditional chocolate chip cookie. Granted it doesn't make a monster batch but it is heaven in your mouth! My favorite part of this recipe is you can chow on the dough with no worries of food poisoning, there are no eggs!
I got the shortbread recipe from foodnetwork.com so thank you to them!

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into chunks
• 1 teaspoon water
• 1 cup Hershey's special dark chocolate chips 

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Add flour, salt, powdered sugar, to a mixer or food processor. Then add vanilla, butter, and water. Pulse or mix just until a dough forms. (At this point you can wrap the dough and chill then cut into cookies or you can move on to the next level, oh yeah!) Add the chocolate chips and mix well. 

Roll teaspoon size balls and place on a cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Gently press the dough flat. Bake for 12-14 minutes rotating half way through cooking time. Cookies are done when they turn a little brown around the edges. Place on cooling rack and wait 5 minutes, if you can...

Tips: Store in airtight container for up to a week or freeze uncooked log for up to a month. Also, use the freshest ingredients possible for the best tasting cookies.

Crock Pot Lasagna

I got this recipe from a friend and was skeptical because I thought noodles would be mushy after being in the crock pot. Nope. They were perfect!

1 lb ground beef cooked
1 (26 oz) jar spaghetti sauce
1 (16 oz) bag shredded Mozzarella cheese
1 (8 oz package of bow tie pasta (I used elbow mac)
1 (12 oz) container cottage cheese

Cook noodles 2 minutes short of package recommended time. Brown meat and combine with sauce. In crock pot layer 1/2 each of meat mixture, pasta, cottage cheese and shredded cheese. Repeat with second half of ingredients. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours.

Tzatziki Sauce

Oh wow! There goes my new year goal to post every week, SHOOT! I will post two recipes just to make up the numbers.

This Greek sauce is so delicious! I had it at a little place called Pita Pit a long time ago,  I couldn't get enough, little did I know it's a cinch to make! Now I can have it any time. It goes really well with grilled Eggplant.

1 1/2 c plain yogurt (you can use Greek yogurt if available)
1 cucumber grated fine and squeezed well, make it as dry as you can
1 clove garlic minced or grated fine
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients and let chill, if you can wait that long.


Grilled Eggplant


1 eggplant peeled and sliced (about half inch thick slices)
olive oil
salt and pepper

Brush slices with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill for 5 minutes each side or until tender. Serve with fresh tomato slices and Tzatziki sauce

*A friend of ours thinned out some Pesto with olive oil and then grilled his. This is so versatile, if you have ideas or have done something different share with us!

Avocado Succotash

This is the best thing I ever put in my face! I would have taken a picture of it (cause it's gorgeous and colorful) but it was devoured way too fast. We use this as a dip and eat it with tortilla chips. However I think it would be perfectly acceptable to eat it as a salad.

2 avocados diced
2 medium tomatoes diced
1 can black beans well drained
1 jalapeno diced (remove seeds and ribs for a more mild flavor)
1 cup corn (frozen, thawed or canned, drained)
Drizzle of Italian dressing
Salt to taste

Mix everything in a bowl, toss to combine and eat it up!!!

I also think a great addition would be some fresh chopped cilantro, yummm!

Cornbread

I am usually not a big fan of cornbread (hush puppies, gag) but I really like this recipe, it's more of a corn cake then the really dense, grainy cornbread. A little story though:

I made this to go with my white chili on a Sunday. My sister and her boyfriend were over so it was a nice big family Sunday supper. When my sister got there we got to talking and giggling. The timer beeped for the cornbread and I noticed it didn't look like it usually did. I cut into it and something was definitely not right. The top half was cooked but the bottom half was ookey. Before anyone else tasted it I looked at the recipe again and realized I forgot to add the flour! Not a good idea, make sure to add all the ingredients, it really is good if you'll do that!

1 3/4 c flour
3/4 c cornmeal
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 c sugar
1 1/2 evaporated milk (1 can)
2 eggs
1/2 c oil

In mixing bowl combine flour, cornmeal, salt, baking powder, and sugar. In separate bowl beat together evaporated milk, eggs, and oil. Add wet mixture to dry mixture, stirring only enough to blend. Pour into a greased 8x8 banking dish and bake at 350 for 30 mins or until edges are just brown. Serve with butter and/or honey.

White Chili

I love chili, but in the summer it's just too heavy and hearty for me. This white chili is just perfect. It's light but filling. I modified the recipe that I got from a friend, thanks Pam! This has to be one of my new favorites!

2 chicken breasts cooked and shredded
2 c chicken broth
2 cans white beans
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 medium onion chopped
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 c sour cream or plain yogurt
1 handful fresh cilantro chopped fine
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine everything except the  sour cream and the cilantro. Let simmer for 30 mins to an hour. Add cilantro and sour cream right before serving.

*Play with the seasonings until it's to your liking. I always like a little more in mine but start off with less, it's hard to take them out once they're in there!

Caramel Dip by: McKay Peisley

I tried this dip at a friend's party and it was to die for! Her daughter made it and passed on the recipe to me, thanks McKay! I will copy the recipe exactly the way she gave it to me :)

1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
whole thing cream cheese stick
1 tsp. vanilla

Cover and put in fridge for 30 minutes.
Dip fruit in there.

Hummus

Don't be scared, it's not as weird as you think it is. I love hummus! So good and super healthy too!

2 cans garbanzo beans a.k.a chick peas drain and rinse one can and not the other
1/2 bulb of garlic (about 5 cloves)
1/4 c plain Greek yogurt (regular also works great)
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Blend beans, garlic, and yogurt in a food processor or blender until smooth and drizzle in the olive oil, add your salt and pepper (use about 1 Tbs. salt). Enjoy with pita chips or tortilla chips, even raw veggies are great!

*To add variety you can add things like roasted red peppers, feta cheese, and sun dried tomatoes to change up the flavors a bit. For ideas just stake a stroll around the special cheese case where they sell the hummus and you'll see a bunch of different kinds.

Dutch Oven Chicken

We just got back from a great camping trip and this is what we had for dinner one night. Soooo good! If you want to make this at home just throw everything in your dutch oven or a covered casserole dish and bake at 350 for an hour or until chicken is tender and cooked though.

4 chicken breasts
1 bottle of French salad dressing
1 envelope of onion soup mix
salt and pepper to taste

Throw everything in together and cook over hot coals for an hour. Make sure to put coals on top (12 of them if possible) to keep it hot enough.

Root Beer Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Sounds weird right? It's so good! When it first starts to cook you think you're going to have root beer flavored meat. By the end it's very subtle and yummy!

1 pork tenderloin roast about 3 lbs
1-2 cans of root beer, no diet please
1-2 onions cut kind of chunky
3 cloves garlic minced
1 jar chili sauce (I didn't have any so I used taco sauce, still good)
salt and pepper to taste
Buns

Place all ingredients in a crockpot and cook on high for 6 hours. Shred the pork with two forks. Put shredded pork back in the crock pot with all the juices and root beer, cook on low for another 3 hours. Toast the buns under the broiler and load it up with the meat. I'm tellin' you it's good!

Applesauce Jumbles

My mother-in-law makes these on occasion. She always puts them in the "cookie tupperware" Let me tell you you will never see a more excited human than me when I see that beautiful fog colored tupperware sitting on the counter.

2 3/4 c. flour                            3/4 c. applesauce

1 1/2 c. brown sugar              1/2 c. shortening

1 tsp. salt                                 2 eggs

1/2 tsp. soda                           1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. cinnamon                      1 6-oz. package semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/4 tsp. cloves 

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Mix all ingredients thoroughly.  Drop by level tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet.  Bake 10-11 minutes (Be careful not to overbake).  Remove immediately.  Cool.  Spread with glaze.

Brown Butter Glaze:  

Heat 3 tablespoons margarine over low heat until golden brown.  Remove from heat.  Blend in about one cup powdered sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla.  Stir in 2-3 tablespoons water until spreading consistency.  Spread on top of cooled cookies. 

*A little tip: put a piece of bread in with the cookies when you store them to keep them nice and soft.

Cranberry Chicken

This one is a good one to just throw in and let it go all day so you don't have anything to worry about at dinner time.

2 chicken breasts
1 c barbeque sauce
1 can whole berry cranberries
1/2 onion chopped fine
1/2 c celery chopped (optional)
2 c cooked rice

Throw everything in the crockpot together and let it go for 4-6 hours on high. Shred the chicken and serve over rice.

Hot Fudge Sauce

This is a recipe that I have been sitting on for a while. I got it from a friend's mom and decided it would be one of my "secret" recipes. I have since decided that the few faithful followers I have should be rewarded and thanked. I cannot lie to you this hot fudge is some of the best you will ever consume. It may take a time or two to get the hang of it but hang in there it's worth it!

2 C sugar
4 heaping Tbs cocoa powder (easiest to use a soup spoon)
1 1/3 C evaporated milk
1 stick margarine (I have used real butter and it still turns out)
1/2 jar marshmallow fluff
splash of vanilla

Measure sugar into a soup pot. Sift cocoa into the sugar. Stir to combine the sugar and cocoa. Add milk and turn on heat. Bring to a full rolling boil and turn the heat down a notch, you may have to turn it down more you just want to maintain the boil for 5-6 minutes. Stir constantly. remove from heat and add the butter and the fluff and splash of vanilla extract, stir to combine well.  Let cool well before serving with ice cream

*The longer you let it boil the more candy-like the fudge will be. When reheating the fudge make sure you keep an eye on it. It has the tendency to boil over the container and make a mess in the microwave. Store any unused fudge in the fridge.

ENJOY!

Mega Breakfeast

I got the idea for this from Rachael Ray (of course). She does a Farmers' market breakfast thing and I didn't follow her recipe exactly but it was still stinkin' good. It's a lot like the breakfast skillets at Village Inn.

1/2 lb sausage
2 potatoes diced small
1/2 red or green pepper diced
1/2 onion diced
3 eggs whole
2 egg whites
Cheddar cheese

Pan fry the potatoes in some vegetable or olive oil over medium heat turn every couple of minutes to brown evenly. Be patient with the potatoes it's the key to crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. While potatoes cook start to brown the sausage add onions and peppers. When no more pink remains and the onions and peppers are soft remove from pan and drain. Scramble eggs in the same pan the sausage was cooking in, add salt and pepper to taste.
To assemble: first put half the potatoes on a plate and then the sausage. Sprinkle with cheese and top with eggs and a little more cheese.

Pani Popo

This is a recipe from the Polynesian islands. It's known to us mainlanders as coconut bread. I for one am a HUGE fan! I can't ever get enough coconut! This is great with Kalua Pork or grilled chicken.

2 c warm water
1 1/2 T yeast
1/2 T salt
1/4 c sugar
6 T butter
2 eggs
1/2 c powdered milk
6-7 c flour

Mix together water, sugar, salt, powdered milk, eggs, and butter, add flour slowly. Knead dough for 8 minutes (this is much easier with a Bosch). Turn into a greased bowl and let rise for 30 minutes or until doubled.

While dough rises make coconut milk syrup.

1 can coconut milk
2-3 c water
3/4- 1 1/2 c sugar
5 T cornstarch

Mix all ingredients well in a sauce pan and cook on low to medium heat until thickened. Place in fridge to cool.

Form dough into rolls. When they have doubled again pour syrup over the rolls and bake at 375 for 20-25 mins.

Naan

My new favorite food.

2/3 c warm milk or water
2c all purpose flour
2 tsp onion seeds (optional) You could also add some garlic powder
1 tsp yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
4 T clarified butter
2 T plain yogurt

Whisk warm milk with yeast and sugar. Cover and let sit for about 10 minutes. Sift flour and salt three times into a large bowl. Add yeast mixture, half of the clarified butter (ghee) and the yogurt. Mix into a soft dough the knead on a floured surface for about 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Place dough in a greased bowl cover and let rise for 1 1/2 hours. Punch down dough and kneed another 5 minutes divide into six balls and then roll out into 8 inch rounds. Cook in a hot pan brushed with ghee on top of the stove. Naan is ready to flip when it's puffed up, about 2 minutes on each side.

*To make clarified butter. Melt a stick in the microwave and let it sit and cool. When it's all cooled off there will be a top layer and a bottom layer. Skim off the top layer, this is the clarified butter. The bottom you can still use for toast and cooking.

Chicken Tikki Masala

It's long and a little time consuming but SOOOO worth it and super easy!

1 c plain yogurt
1 T lemon Juice
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 T fresh ground ginger
4 tsp salt or to taste ( I think I used 1)
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut to bite size pieces
4 long skewers (optional)

In a large bowl mix all ingredients except chicken. Mix well and stir in chicken. cover and place in the fridge. Let marinate at least 1 hour, the longer the better. Preheat grill at high heat and thread chicken on to the skewers. Discard extra marinade. Grill until juices run clear, about 5 minutes on each side. An alternate method (the way I did it) cook chicken under the broiler. About 5-6 minutes on each side.

Sauce:
1 T butter
1 clove butter minced
1 jalapeno diced fine
8 oz fresh mushrooms sliced (optional)
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp tandoori seasoning (optional)
1 tsp sweet curry
3 tsp salt ( I didn't use this much)
1 (8oz can) tomato sauce
1 c heavy cream or evaporated milk
1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro

Melt butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic and jalapeno, and mushroom for about 1 minute. Season with cumin, paprika, curry, tandoori, and salt. Stir in tomato sauce and cream. Simmer for about 20 minutes to thicken. Add cooked chicken and simmer for another 10 minutes. Transfer to serving platter and garnish with cilantro. Serve over basmati or other long grained rice.

Perfect Soft Pretzels

I watched an episode of Good Eats on Food Network on homemade pretzels. I didn't think it looked too hard so I tried it. The pictures do not do it justice, they look burnt but oh no they were perfectly chewy on the outside and like spongy velvet on the inside. Oh my crazy goodness! Alton Brown is a genius! I will probably make these every week for the rest of my life, they are amazing! Basically you can make a full batch (7-8 pretzels) for what one costs at the mall. Thank you Alton!

• 1 1/2 cups warm (110 to 115 degrees F) water
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 22 ounces all-purpose flour, approximately 4 1/2 cups
• 2 ounces unsalted butter, melted
• Vegetable oil, for pan
• 10 cups water
• 2/3 cup baking soda
• 1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water
• Pretzel salt

Directions

Combine the water, sugar and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam. Add the flour and butter and, using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until well combined. Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl, clean the bowl and then oil it well with vegetable oil. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and sit in a warm place for approximately 50 to 55 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment paper and lightly brush with the vegetable oil. Set aside.

Bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in an 8-quart saucepan or roasting pan.

In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope. Make a U-shape with the rope, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the shape of a pretzel. Place onto the parchment-lined half sheet pan.

Place the pretzels into the boiling water, 1 by 1, for 30 seconds. Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula. Return to the half sheet pan, brush the top of each pretzel with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture and sprinkle with the pretzel salt. Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Recipe from foodnetwork.com Alton Brown

Wiggly Wafflels

Every once in a great while I have a stroke of genius. My kids love to play the Wiggly Waffle Topping game. In the game you get to put all kinds of crazy things on your waffle from honey to broccoli to cereal. So I thought it might be fun for our family to top our own waffles with yummy things. So I asked Brayden what he would like on his waffle "Apples, strawberries, cherries and honey." Doesn't sound too crazy. T.K. wanted "Blueberries, applesauce, bananas, and grape juice." A little bit more weird. Poor Bray had to go without his cherries because he wanted fresh cherries like Grandma has on her trees and it's just not the right season. Here's what we came up with.


This is Brayden's. I had another smart moment and added sprinkles, they were all over that! Notice the strawberry with the big bite out of it, he just couldn't wait.


Of course T.K. changed his mind and just wanted sprinkles on his.

Steve had chocolate chip with syrup.

I just had a plain waffle with syrup, boring, I know, I'm a purist.
The recipe is nothing fancy, it's just pancake mix and I followed the directions on the bag for making waffles. I do have a secret though, if you put a splash of vanilla to the batter it adds a little love :)

Red Lobster Cheese Rolls

My bff Mark found this recipe and it is great! It does make a difference when you brush the tops.

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups Bisquick baking mix

¾ cup cold whole milk

4 tablespoons cold butter (1/2 stick)

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

1 heaping cup grated cheddar cheese

Bush on Top:

2 tablespoons butter, melted

¼ teaspoon dried parsley flakes

½ teaspoon garlic powder

pinch salt

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

2. Combine Bisquick with cold butter in a medium bowl using a pastry cutter or a large fork. You don't want to mix too thoroughly. There should be small chunks of butter in there that are about the size of peas. Add cheddar cheese, milk, and ¼ teaspoon garlic. Mix by hand until combined, but don't over mix.

3. Drop approximately ¼-cup portions of the dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet using an ice cream scoop.

4. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until the tops of the biscuits begin to turn light brown.

5. When you take the biscuits out of the oven, melt 2 tablespoons butter is a small bowl in your microwave. Stir in ½ teaspoon garlic powder and the dried parsley flakes. Use a brush to spread this garlic butter over the tops of all the biscuits. Use up all of the butter. Makes one dozen biscuits.

Brownies

It seems I've been doing a lot of sweet desert type things lately- I wonder what that means? I do want you to know that I did manage to loose 3 pounds last week. That takes my grand total up to 23 lbs lost!
I was really impressed with this recipe and kind of prefer it over the box ones. I even had to make two batches cause Steve didn't get enough of the first :)

3/4 c flour
2 eggs
1 c sugar
1/2 c butter softened
1/4 c cocoa powder
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt

Sift flour, cocoa, salt and sugar into a bowl. Add butter, eggs, vanilla and mix well. You can use a hand mixer on medium speed, I just did it by hand it and was still delicious, just make sure it's mixed well. Pour batter into a greased 8x8 pan and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until set.

*Note that the batter will be really grainy, don't let that put you off, the finished product is like chocolate velvet!

* For Mocha brownies add 2 tbs Pero to the cocoa.

Lemon Bars

I had to come up with a fast treat for Steve to take to some of our friends. I didn't have any chocolate chips, and no vanilla so basically all cookies were out of the question. I scoured my recipe books and settled on this. Super cheap and I usually always have lemon juice on had because of all the canning I do. I'm not a huge fan of lemon bars but these were better than the boxed kind. Enjoy!

3/4 c margarine softened
1/3 c sugar
1 1/2 c flour

Blend together then press into a 9x13 baking dish. Bake at 325 for 15-20 minutes.

3 eggs
1 1/2 c sugar
3 T flour
1/4 c lemon juice

Beat together and pour on top of hot crust, then bake for 20 more minutes or until set. Allow to cool slightly and sprinkle with powered sugar.

*The longer they cool the easier they are to cut and serve.

6 or 7 Layer Dip

I made this for the Superbowl and believe it or not I have never made a layered dip before now, it was good and a must have for Steve. I didn't have any green onions so ours was 6 layers instead of 7. I would also use the leftovers as dinner one night. Who doesn't like snacks for dinner?!

1 can re-fried beans
Taco seasoning
2-3 avocados mashed with a little chili powder
1 container sour cream
1 c shredded cheddar cheese
2-3 Tomatoes diced
green onions chopped
sliced olives

Mix beans with taco seasoning to taste. Spread in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Spread avocados on top next, then sour cream, then sprinkle cheese, tomatoes, olives and onions. No need to heat or chill, you can eat it right away and it's awesome! Happy party-ing!

Chicken and Rice Chili Verde

This recipe came from the back of the Calrose Rice bag. I never dismiss those recipes, I don't think I have made one that disappointed me, I mean look where Tollhouse puts theirs, that's got to be worth something.

Steve did not get to try this, he was out of town and he doesn't like green chilies anyway, I love them. This was super quick and easy and it came out perfect, this first time!

1 Chicken bullion cube
non-stick cooking spray
4 large chicken thighs (I used breasts I think the thighs will be more juicy)
1 medium onion chopped
1 clove garlic minced
3/4 c calrose rice (is is different than long grain)
1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles
1/2 tsp crushed oregano
1 c frozen peas
1/4 c Monterey jack cheese

Dissolve bullion cube in 1-1/4 c hot water, set aside. Heat large frying pan over high heat (make sure you have a lid for your pan). Lightly coat pan with cooking spray and add chicken. Cook 3-4 minutes or until browned on the outside, remove from pan. Add onion, garlic to same pan and saute for 30 seconds. In pan mix rice, chiles, oregano, and bullion mixture. Arrange chicken in a single layer on top of rice. Bring to a boil, cover reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 25 minutes. Add peas and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and sprinkle with cheese, let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Mexican Chicken "Lasagna"

This is another that came from the Season's Best cook book from Pampered Chef. Steve really liked it and I was surprised at how easy it was and clean up was pretty fast too.

1/4 c lightly packed cilantro leaves, chopped
1 pkg cream cheese (8 oz)
2 c shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 medium onion chopped
1 can enchilada sauce *28 oz can*
12 corn tortillas
3 cups cooked chicken, shredded

Microwave cream cheese for about 30 seconds until very soft. Add the cilantro, and 1 1/2 c shredded cheese. Spread 2/3 c enchilada sauce over the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish, pour remaining sauce in a bowl. To assemble, dip several tortillas in enchilada sauce and place in the bottom of the baking dish, overlapping as necessary. Scoop half the cream cheese mixture over tortillas, spread carefully, then top with 1 cup chicken and 1/3 of the onion. Repeat layers one more time. Dip remaining tortillas and layer over the second layer top with remaining chicken and onions, pour remaining sauce over the top and sprinkle with the reserved 1/2 c cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

*The original recipe calls for it to be cooked in the microwave in a stoneware baker for 12-15 minutes, so if you have the covered baker, go for it! I had to do it the old fashioned way, it was still yummy :)

Ham & Cheese Calzone

I got this recipe from those little recipe books you get for $1 from Pampered Chef. I was surprised at how easy it was and I couldn't get enough. I don't know if that's cause it was so good or I was super hungry, either way Steve and the kids liked it and I guess that's all that matters.

2 T mayonnaise
2 T Dijon mustard
1 c broccoli chopped (the recipe calls for fresh, I used frozen)
1 8-oz slice smoked deli ham chopped
1/2 onion chopped
8 oz shredded Swiss cheese
1 T vegetable oil
2 pkg refrigerated pizza dough
1 oz Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 450. Combine mustard, and mayonnaise in a large bowl. Add broccoli, ham, onion, and half the cheese, mix well.
Brush a cookie sheet with sides with half of the oil, or you can spray it with non-stick spray. Unroll one of the pizza crusts on the cookie sheet and press it out so it covers the whole bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with remaining cheese within 1 inch of sides. Spoon ham mixture over that and unroll remaining dough directly on top, matching the edges. Using a sharp knife cut a half inch off the sides then press edges together to seal. Brush the top with remaining oil. Make some slits in the top and bake for 14-16 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan and bake for another 2-3 minutes.

*I skipped the store bought dough and made my own. It was a little more time consuming but about $4 cheaper.

Shepard's Pie

This is one of Steve's favorites. Classic meat and potatoes dish. You can jazz it up a bunch of different ways, using different types of meat and other spices, play with it and see what your favorite is. This is a new one we dreamed up.

1 lb ground beef
1/4 lb summer sausage cubed
1 onion chopped
2 carrots diced
1 c frozen peas
1 c extra sharp cheddar cheese
2 c mashed potatoes (I used instant, cause I'm a slacker)

Heat a bit of oil in a large skillet and add the carrots and onions, add beef and brown. When beef is fully cooked add sausage and peas. Place meat mixture in a 9x9 baking dish. Cover with mashed potatoes then top with cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until top turns golden.

*You can speed this one up by heating the meat mixture for 5 minutes on the stove after the peas and sausage are added. Then top with potatoes and cheese and broil until cheese is golden.

Cola Meatballs

1 lb Ground beef
1/2 c seasoned bread crumbs
1 egg
1 small onion finely chopped or grated, divided
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 clove garlic minced
1 c ketchup
1 c cola
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1/2 med. green pepper finely chopped

Preheat oven to 325. In a large bowl combine beef, breadcrumbs, egg, and half the onion. Mix well and form into 1 inch balls. Place in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. In another bowl combine the remaining ingredients, mix well and pour over the meatballs. Bake for 50-60 mins. Serve over rice.

New year new recipes

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! I am soooo sorry I have left you in the dark for weeks. I have made a new year goal (I don't make "resolutions"). It is to post once a week for you. So this means you will have 52 new recipes by the end of the year. Lets see if I meet my goal! I am trying a new one tonight so if it works out it'll be up this week! Happy Cooking!!